The H1N1 flu shot is here, now the big question is should you get it?

Well, if you are like many people, you may be nervous about this shot but want to do whatever is best to protect yourself and your family from this flu. Let me reassure you, there are alternatives.

In my practice I work to ensure that every patient’s immune system is working optimally. With a strong immune system your body is prepared to fight off any infection not just the flu. We do this by looking at your overall health, diet and lifestyle. Supplements are also used when necessary to support the body.

In a time of pandemic, we also use homeopathic medicines to protect the body from infection. In fact, homeopathic remedies were used successfully in many outbreaks including the 1918 Spanish flu. These remedies use diluted substances, therefore are completely safe and can drastically reduce the severity of infection. In the 1918 flu epidemic, those that used homeopathic remedies had virtually no fatalities compared to the general population.

This year, to best prepare patients I have assembled flu kits. These are kits that can be used for prevention but also treatment for the flu and can be shared by the entire family.

If you are interested in learning more about these kits or would like to book a naturopathic appointment call us today to get started.

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This is a great soup for keeping warm during the cool weather. Plus, it uses many fresh vegetables that are locally available at this time of year.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 carrots, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 3 medium potatoes, diced 1 zucchini, diced 1 can diced tomato 1 can navy beans, rinsed & drained 1 can romano beans, rinsed & drained 1 L chicken or vegetable stock 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried coriander 1 tsp dried oregano Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic. Add in carrot, celery, potato and zucchini and pan cook lightly for about 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except the parsley, and simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Stir in parsley just before removing pot from heat.

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Now that fall is here, the focus in healthcare is on the upcoming flu season. With the threat of the H1N1 swine flu this year, it is possible that we will have a more severe year of flu cases. As a result, there will be two flu shots available this year: the standard flu vaccine plus the swine flu vaccine. Lucky us, right? Not to worry, there are many other ways we can support our health to prevent from getting this flu.

It’s important to note that we are in contact with viruses every day. The reason that we don’t get sick is that our immune system is able to fight them off before we get infected. With a new virus strain like the swine flu, we are more susceptible because our immune system does not recognize it well enough to know how to fight it off. What we need to do is boost our immune system so that it is more robust to recognize and fight off new viruses and illnesses.

Naturopathic medicine is effective in improving your immune defences. This means you are better equipped to prevent from getting the flu, but also reduce the severity of the illness if you do end up getting sick. We can do this using natural medicine without needles or risks associated with the flu shot. For these reasons many people are looking to Naturopathic medicine to prevent from getting sick.

Now is a good time to look at your health, before flu season arrives. For a naturopathic health assessment or to learn more about our Naturopathic Flu Prevention Program call to book your appointment today.

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